Opportunities for Sustainable Industrial Development in Turkey: Eco-Industrial Parks

Industrialization has an important role within the attempts for development. Against the fact that it is indispensable, industrialization causes significant environmental problems. This progress, which is in disfavor of the natural areas and resources, can not be controlled with the existing industrial and environmental policies, and thus new approaches are needed. The concept of Eco-Industrial Parks is developed in line with this approach. It is accepted widely and there exist many examples in several countries. Unfortunately they are not known sufficiently in Turkey yet, and such applications don’t exist. The purpose of this study is to identify the application potential of Eco-Industrial Parks in Turkey. In this study, Organized Industrial Zones located in Kocaeli shall be investigated in respect to their similarities to Eco-Industrial Parks, the potential for establishment of Eco-Industrial Parks in Turkey shall be assessed, and some proposals for more sustainable cities shall be developed.